Weekly roundup: From summer’s end to science’s cutting edge
It’s still holiday season – but in the UK that’s almost over, with the end of summer traditionally marked by the long ‘bank holiday’ weekend (Monday 25th August is a public holiday in England and Wales), after which thoughts return to work. Expect September to begin with a bang, as everyone rushes to tell the news they’ve been holding back for the last few weeks.
In the wider life sciences world, there have been a few notable developments. Novo Nordisk halved the US price of Ozempic, days after rival Eli Lilly more than doubled the cost of its obesity drug Mounjaro for private patients in the UK. Both were responding to the US administration’s calls for more parity in drug pricing between the US and Europe – but in different ways. Meanwhile, billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced a $1m competition aimed at finding the best ways of using AI to find new Alzheimer’s treatments. The Alzheimer’s Insights Prize will go to the team deemed to have come up with the most original way of programming AI agents “capable of independent planning, reasoning, and action to accelerate breakthrough discoveries from existing Alzheimer’s data”. The idea is that Alzheimer’s researchers around the world will be able to use the resultant AI tools on an open-source basis.
📺Optimum TV
Diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age people globally, is currently treated with a series of injections directly into the eye. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many patients fail to continue with treatment, leading to preventable vision loss. Now, Copenhagen-based Breye Therapeutics is developing an oral medication called danegaptide to treat the common eye disease.
In this week’s episode of Optimum TV, watch Breye’s CEO Ulrik Mouritzen talk about the lifechanging impact this oral treatment could have on patients and the reduced burden of care on their loved ones.
🔥Hot topic
‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ – an old adage that couldn’t be truer when it comes to maximising your valuable time and resources when attending conferences. Optimum has made it easy for you by mapping out which events to attend this autumn. And, as a proud industry supporter to LSX and One Nucleus events, find out how to get an exclusive discount below ⬇️
👥Industry events
Optimum’s 17th Annual Healthcare Conference
Returning to The King’s Fund this autumn, this prestigious invitation-only event brings together investors and executives from across the life sciences sector.
This year is one of relentless disruption and uncertainty as our industry grapples with US health policy and the potential impact on the sector. How can companies with great science get the capital they need to develop the drugs required to fill the looming patent cliff which Pharma is facing in 2025 onwards? This is just a taster of what our fantastic line up of speakers will be sharing their valuable insights about. Register your interest in attending today.
📍Thursday 9th October, London
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